Public Policy Team of Metropolitan Community Churches Calls for Full Inclusion by Boy Scouts of America

23 May 2013 — Today the 1400 member national council of the Boy Scouts of America, meeting in Texas, voted to allow openly gay youth to join the Scouts effective January of 2014, while continuing to ban openly gay Scout leaders. Council spokespersons said that while people have differing opinions on this policy revision, most agree that youth are better off because of their involvement in Scouting troops and activities.

While we applaud the decision to welcome gay scouts, we believe the amended policy sends a mixed message to youth seeking to integrate their sexual orientations and gender identities into their full personhood as they grow and mature.

Children are not better off when they are left without strong role models who represent the deepest truest parts of who they are as people of God, a truth sadly reflected in the scores of LGBT youth who suffer greater rates of homelessness and bullying than their non-gay peers.

As people of faith we call on the Boy Scouts of America to remedy the confusion youth will experience because of their new policy, and act to include all youth and adults who seek to participate in Scouting, help other people, and keep themselves mentally awake and on a path of moral integrity.

This statement published by the Public Policy Team of Metropolitan Community Churches.